Universal Audio has added to its acclaimed UAFX guitar pedal lineup with the Anti 1992.
The amp-in-a-pedal emulator is built on “powerful dual-engine processing and world-class Universal Audio modeling” to recreate the sounds of the original “block letter” Peavey 5150 amplifier and condense it into a pedalboard-ready package.
The 120-watt tube amp has won admirers in multiple genres; Eddie Van Halen was, of course, one of its biggest advocates. Beyond that, it has become a metal favorite, used by the likes of Slipknot, Alice In Chains, Machine Head, Gojira, and far beyond.
The pedal is the fifth in the series, following the UAFX Dream ‘65, Ruby ‘63, Woodrow ‘55, and Lion stompboxes, which are based on Fender blackface amps, a 1963 Vox AC30, a '55 1955 Fender tweed Deluxe, and a trio of 1960s British amps, respectively.
That means the Anti is the most high-gain member of the amp-emulating pedal family, as well as the most recent amp in the collection.
The Dream '65, Ruby '63, and Woodrow '55 were described as “skillfully engineered pedals that accurately replicate cherry-picked vintage amps” in a praise-filled Guitar Player review. Lauded for their “excellent tones and feel,” and “awesome array of options” via the UAFX mobile app, the trio achieved the rare accolade of not being tainted with any listed cons. The pressure is on, then, for the Anti 1992 to live up to the high standard of its forebearers.
Like its brothers and sisters, it serves up six dials and three switches, alongside a footswitch for accessing presets, which works in conjunction with the aforementioned app.
Of its dials, Pre-Gain, Presence, and Output controls work in tandem with a three-band EQ. A Cab switch offers three styles of cab sims (UK V30, GA V30, and White 75), a Channel dial flits between Rhythm, Crunch, and Lead modes, and a final switch can be used to store presets.
Other features include a built-in noise gate, a TS-style overdrive, and a preamp boost, while groundbreaking dynamic room modeling – plucked from Universal Audio's OX Amp Top Box – makes for a more authentic playing experience.
The pedal comes with pre-loaded presets designed by Nevermore and Arch Enemy guitarist Jeff Loomis, as well as Tetrarch, and The Black Dahlia Murder.
Downloading and navigating the UAFX mobile app allows players to customize footswitches, tweak its in-built noise gate, and recall or archive existing presets. It's also via the app that additional professional presets can be downloaded and explored.
“With UAFX Dream, Ruby, Woodrow, and Lion amp emulators, we recreated four of the most famous guitar amps ever made,” says Universal Audio’s Senior Product Manager, Tore Mogensen.
“Now with Anti, we’re giving rock and metal players an authentic emulation of this punishing high gain amp – with the exact mic/speaker pairings and boost/noise gate effects that were responsible for some of the most groundbreaking modern metal tones ever captured.”
The Universal Audio Anti 1992 High Gain Amp Emulator Pedal costs $399 and is available now.
Head to Universal Audio to learn more.
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